Yes its just preseason, but Boris was brutally bad
Yes, yes, yes…it was only the first of six preseason games. So really, there isn’t too much that should be taken from the 5-2 loss to the Columbus Blue Jackets Tuesday night. The coaches got to see how several prospects looked in a pseudo-game situation and new game plans were worked on. This will help to make some roster decisions and other game plan tweaks…so, it is what it is.
But there were a few standouts of note from last night, but of the good and un-good variety. And I’ll begin with the positives.
Bryan Little was by far the best Thrasher on the ice last night, and not just because he finished with a goal and assists. He was “on it” every shift and looked very good on and off the puck. If this is what we can expect from Little on a consistent basis this season, he and we will be just fine.
I liked what I saw from Arturs Kulda as well. He’s not a “flashy” player by any stretch of the imagination, but he put in a solid performance. Kulda was one of two Thrashers that finished on the positive side of the +/- rating. He and Freddy Meyer were both a +1 and Meyer chipped in offensively with an assists as well.
A lot of hustle came from Freddy Pettersson and Nigel Dawes too. Freddy “The Fly” scored once from a nice cross-crease pass from Little, had an assist and led the way in shots on goal with 4.
Evander Kane looks like he’s ready for the season to get underway. He didn’t fact in the scoring but had 3 SOG and really stood out on the attacking end of the ice.
And not to be overlooked here is the fact that the defense only allowed 26 shots to be taken on Ondrej Pavelec. I saw some flashes of this thing I’ve heard of called “team defense”…fascinating, really. I’m looking forward to see that develop some more as we move into the regular season schedule.
And now for the not-so-good…
First off there’s Pavelec’s 5 goals on just 26 shots…2 on the first 6 in just the opening six-plus of play. While Opie didn’t have a “good” night to be sure, the fact is that he had in front of him several skaters who will not be on the opening night roster. Some may not even be around for preseason game number two Saturday night.
But for me, last night was really more of a continued process in my loss of faith in Pavs game. He’s kinda the Forrest Gump box of chocolates type of goalie. You just don’t know what you’re gonna get nightly with him.
Simply put, the kid simply does not exude a great deal of confidence when placed between the pipes. This is why I like the Chris Mason signing so much. You’re just going to get a more reliable, dependable, solid performance between the pipes for him.
As I told World Be Free last night, if you’re the kind of person that offers up petitions to the great thunder-maker in the sky, then say some nightly prayers for the continued health of Mason. I simply do not want to have us faced with having to count on Opie for any extended stretch of time.
Again, that’s not based solely on last night…it’s preseason and can be forgotten.
But by far the worst performance of the evening was put in by defenseman Boris Valabik. His –2 doesn’t even start to describe how bad he was out there. He was positioned poorly too often and was just… s…l…o…w. Even by Boris’ standards.
Making Valabik’s showing even that much worse is that if the Thrashers were of mind to deal him away, using preseason to showcase his worth, he didn’t exactly do himself or Dudley any favors.
Trying to be fair, it is possible that he’s still experiencing the effects from his surgery over the offseason. But if that was the case maybe he shouldn’t have been out on the ice.
Regardless, Boris had a bad time of it last night…a brutally bad time.
I’ll repeat what I said at the beginning, though. It was just a preseason game and it served its purpose by giving the coaching staff insight as to where certain players are at this stage of the game. So there shouldn’t be a great deal of wailing a gnashing of teeth as to the overall outcome or any individual performances.
And finally… I was making my way over to section 119 to visit Hockey Biltong and his lovely bride last night when I passed up Cowbell Corner in section 222. Someone from that gang hollered down at me to have a look at something. When I looked up at him, he tuned his back to show he was wearing a Todd White #12 red alternate Thrashers jersey.
Aaaaagghhh…my eyes!! MY EYES!!!!
Anyway, I wondered why in the world someone would have not only purchased a #12 White jersey, but would have kept it after he was finally traded away. But this morning the logic became clear.
Cowbell Corner…cows.
Cows…milk.
Milk…milk carton.
Milk carton….
Well, you get the picture.
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120 comments Add your comment
kracker
September 23rd, 2010
2:51 pm
WBF – Focus on the position and ask yourselves whether Pavs has the makeup of a relief piture, sometimes starter.
That sounds to me like an issue for the goalie coach to correct. If it needs correcting.
Zombie Steve
September 23rd, 2010
2:55 pm
I agree, Stroz. I was disappointed that Sterling never made it on the Thrashers roster. Say what you will about his size, but the kid can score goals.
sisu
September 23rd, 2010
2:56 pm
Considering the other 2 goalies were sent down it is up to Pavs and Mason now. If and when the goalie coaching starts perhaps there will be improvement? I think DW was counting on Moose retiring and wanting to become the said goalie coach???
GaVaHokie
September 23rd, 2010
2:58 pm
John Anderson didn’t even put Sterling on the roster and he coached him forever in Chicago.
re. IDWT… funny, I thought it meant I Don’t Want This… glad to get the clarification as well.
English Teacher
September 23rd, 2010
3:08 pm
WBF-I think the answer to your question is “no.” Certainly, there is someone else out there who is a “yes.”
Isn’t Lagace still floating around out there? I mean, I know he’s old, but he did well for the ‘Canes last year. If worse came to worse, we could sign him as a back-up and trade Opie for some spare Zamboni parts and a t-shirt launcher.
I haven’t been pleased with #31 since Pasi retired.
kracker
September 23rd, 2010
3:18 pm
A t-shirt launcher, English Teacher! Now you have my attention. Those work like a potato gun, which most any guy just drools over.
Note to GMs: Include t-shirt launcher or potato gun in trade proposals…
Great for bonding with the son!
http://i.pbase.com/g6/62/761862/2/79458546.oiiVRxBR.jpg
GaVaHokie
September 23rd, 2010
3:33 pm
Legace was actually forced out of St. Louis by Chris Mason. Atlanta invited Legace to training camp last year and then released him… I think that ship has sailed.
World Be Free
September 23rd, 2010
3:51 pm
Thanks GaVa-talked about Legace here at work during lunch.
we need Glovesave as our new #2 goalie!
Tony C.
September 23rd, 2010
3:53 pm
THoughts about the “game”:
Valabik-I be lieve he’s still hesitant to give it 100% and/or he’s so far removed from actual game situations he’s thinking before acting and that slows you way down. He did not look good-if he doesn’t turn it around very soon, I say send him to Chi. or something-hell, trade for Chara and let him teach Valabik.
Petersson-Best Thrasher not named Kane or Little-dude was everywhere! VERY quick shot, and good nose for the play-size issues are there, but isn’t that why Dudley went out and got all these big guys?
Paquette-Showed me a lot of heart and not much else-4 turnovers including one where Le Thrash had them backed up in the O-zone and this guy does a no-look drop pass to the point WHERE NOBODY WAS. Nobody. Not even one of the other guys. Send him to Chicago.
Pavelec- Very forgettable. Personally, I think he was more concerned with trying out new equipment than winning-I understand it being preseason and if you’re going to try something new-preseason is the time, but wow-totatlly unengaged.
Stewart-Better than the last time I saw him, not afraid to go after the puck, and much better stick work in close than before-I think he’ll be one of the last guys cut.
Meyer-I can see why people like this guy. He seemed to be a little too gung-ho to get involved defensively, and his partner had to cover for him….still on the fence about this guy.
Kulda-Have yet to see this kid do something egregiously bad. Still, would like to see him work on his positioning on offense.
Hainsey-Wow. Crap game from a guy rumored to be a front runner for the C. This is a guy we need to have a strong season from. Really need to see better from him.
Aliu-Not bad. Hustles, great speed for a big guy-think we see him as a spring call-up.
Nobody else really stood out to me. Burmistrov looked like what he is-a VERY talented kid, but still a kid. Machacek had flashes of good during the 2nd, but all in all-this team for all the talk ofdepth and increased grittiness just didn’t look good at all. Kane was the best player on the ice, but when he went into the boards hard, everyone in our section was holding their breath until he got back on the ice. We do not have enough depth at forward.
Also, why the heck is Thrasher mgmt. kow-tow’ing to a player’s wishes again??? Didn’t that work out craptacularly with #17? Dudley needs to get over his crush and deal this guy [Byfuglien] for a forward. Seriously, I’m beyond sick and tired of prima-donna type players dictating terms of their employment. It’s ruined at least 3 seasons I can think of. Please let’s not go down this road again!
GaVaHokie
September 23rd, 2010
4:14 pm
Great article from Manasso on Pettersson…
http://www.foxsportssouth.com/09/23/10/Swedish-Revolution/landing.html?blockID=316989&feedID=4354
Smoothie
September 23rd, 2010
4:52 pm
I’ve read a couple of times that Duds caved to Buff’s “demand” to play on the blueline. Can someone link a source or article that is purporting this to be true?
kracker
September 23rd, 2010
5:21 pm
For a headline hungry hockey writer, a player’s reasonable ‘request’ could morph into an adamant ‘demand.’ Just saying that is possible. How many young forwards are demanding anything from an NHL GM? I suppose we will know eventually.
alex
September 23rd, 2010
9:07 pm
here is copy from today article on espn.com written by Victoria Matiash
:
Byfuglien switches position (yeah…whatever)
As one of several players let go by the Chicago Blackhawks shortly after they won the Stanley Cup, Dustin Byfuglien is apparently changing more than just the crest on his jersey. As a new member of the Atlanta Thrashers (along with Andrew Ladd and Brent Sopel) Byfuglien is moving back to defense, according to coach Craig Ramsay. Yeah, sure he is. For a couple of weeks maybe, and then the Thrashers won’t be able to resist the temptation of plunking the Big Buff’s big body right in front of the opposition’s goal any longer. It won’t matter that Byfuglien prefers to play on the blue line, especially since the team’s defensive corps is already in fairly decent shape.
Hokie P. Clisters
September 23rd, 2010
9:24 pm
It’s too early for me to formulate any coherent opinions but I did see Rammer’s quote on committment. He said most of the guys were buying in (except for a few – and he wouldn’t elaborate)and that no one’s job was safe just because they could “play.” I wonder which ones are dragging their feet? Could it be some of our new blackhawks? I hope not, we need these guys to take charge.
Smoothie
September 23rd, 2010
10:10 pm
If that’s a direct quote from an article on ESPN, then they are even worse than I thought originally. The NHL is better off without them and their hype-laden, BS-ridden, fluff n’ stuff reporting. Glad I rarely watch let alone pay any attention to ESPN these days.
ESPN, the Exception for Special Populations Network.
World Be Free
September 24th, 2010
7:46 am
Tony C-nice recap, I like Alui as well. Needs to develop and edge.
I like Petterson’s skills, but I am still concerned about his size. Saw a couple Swedish League games when I was in Europe a few years ago. There’s alot more contact in the NHL; I think Petterson will break down physically over a period of time unless you can put him with someone who will protect him.
World Be Free
September 24th, 2010
7:52 am
Smoothie-ESPN is good for scores, that’s it.
ben
September 24th, 2010
9:17 am
I still don’t see where the scoring comes from. I mean even with bone-jarring defense (post lockout, good luck with that one) you’re going to have to score. Yes, D will be better, but we’re going to be without a homerun hitting game changer. We had three at one point, and it didn’t work because those guys would play defense.
Alan R.
September 24th, 2010
9:19 am
I’m taking a wait-and-see approach, rather than this reactionary stuff a lot of people are posting.
Rawhide
September 24th, 2010
9:21 am
OK kids, new bloggity-blog time. I’m wondering if there is a true, clear-cut candidate for captain on this team.